The Wistar Institute Named One Of the "Best Places to Work" in Academia

The Wistar Institute Named One Of the "Best Places to Work" in Academia

(PHILADELPHIA – November 3, 2008) – The Scientist magazine named The Wistar Institute No. 11 on a list of “Best Places to Work in Academia,” citing strengths in categories “management and policy” and “peers.” The rankings, derived from surveys of scientists employed by the nation’s research institutes and academic medical centers, appear in the November 1 issue.

“Wistar’s greatest strength is its people and our shared commitment to excellence,” said Russel E. Kaufman, M.D., president and CEO of The Wistar Institute. “This recognition from within our own ranks reflects a spirit of collegiality and culture of collaboration that is key to advancing scientific discovery.”

The Wistar Institute was founded as the first independent biomedical nonprofit research institute in the country. Located in West Philadelphia, the Institute’s 31 laboratories conduct basic science research in three programs: gene expression and regulation, immunology, and molecular and cellular oncogenesis. A designated National Cancer Institute Cancer Center, Wistar specializes in cancer research and vaccine development. The Institute employs more than 300 scientists and others representing 30 countries of origin.

The Scientist invited subscribers who identified themselves as life scientists in tenure or tenure-track positions working in academia or non-commercial research institutions to complete a workplace survey. More than 2,300 respondents ranked 54 U.S. institutions and 19 international institutions. Survey respondents assessed their working environments by eight criteria including job satisfaction, infrastructure and environment, teaching and mentoring, peers, pay, tenure, research resources, and management and policies.

“To be a top-ranked institution is an incredible honor,” said Richard Gallagher, editor-in-chief of The Scientist, “and many of these institutions are highly ranked by our readers year after year.”

The Scientist is a twice-monthly trade magazine which focuses on the career concerns of professional researchers in the life sciences. The Scientist has a circulation of 60,000.

The Wistar Institute is an international leader in biomedical research with special expertise in cancer research and vaccine development. Founded in 1892 as the first independent nonprofit biomedical research institute in the country, Wistar has long held the prestigious Cancer Center designation from the National Cancer Institute. The Institute works actively to ensure that research advances move from the laboratory to the clinic as quickly as possible. The Wistar Institute: Today’s Discoveries – Tomorrow’s Cures. On the Web atwww.wistar.org